Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

 

Ratings Explanation

Language: Family sees f-word graffiti. Nickname for Markus is Markass. Some crude words like “pissed” and “dog turd”.

Violence:  Diamond’s step-Dad hits her in the face and breaks her arm.

Sexual Content:  “Your girlfriend wants you to do  her.” ” Since you’ve got a girlfriend I guess that means you’re not gay…” Trevor’s mom tells him, “I started partying and messing around with my boyfriend and then I got pregnant and dropped out.”

Adult Themes: A baby is found in a dumpster. A young girl predicts that a “high school girl had a baby and throwed it in the dumpster.” Trevor’s dad is in jail and his mom has to work two jobs to pay the rent. They lived in a shelter once. Trevor and his mom fight about their lack of money. They have a hard life and can’t seem to get ahead. A rich boy’s father voices stereotypes about the poor kids in the school. Domestic abuse.

Synopsis

Trevor’s family has moved again, this time to the run-down Hedly Gardens, aptly nicknamed Deadly Gardens. Trevor’s mom does the best she can and works two jobs, but making enough money to pay the rent is hard with three kids to support. Trevor is the man of the house since his dad is in jail and his mom depends on him to take care of his younger siblings while she works.

Although his life is sometimes difficult, Trevor is determined that 7th grade is going to be HIS year. Everything starts out great for him when he accidentally ends up in an advanced science class with some of the rich, cool kids and the best teacher he has ever  had. Things are going pretty well for Trevor until  he ticks off  Xander, the 7th grade soccer star who has everything going for him. Xander really has it in for Trevor and when Xander’s missing cell phone mysteriously ends up in Trevor’s backpack, Trevor has to decide how to deal with Xander’s bullying tactics.

Trevor learns that money doesn’t make anyone smart or good and that even though his mom isn’t “school smart”,  she has taught him some valuable life lessons.

“Truth gets you respect, lies get you trouble.”

“Judge people based on what they do, not what they have.”

“When people put you down, rise above it.”

We read this aloud as a family and everyone loved it. My kids loved the soccer and Trevor’s clever artwork throughout. I loved the impact that one exceptional teacher had on Trevor and his realization that his mom knows a thing or two about life. He also learned that even though life isn’t fair, with a positive attitude it can still be a pretty good ride.

This is a good recommendation for reluctant readers. It is written on a 4th grade level, but the content is interesting for older kids as well. My 8th grader kept sneaking the book and reading ahead of the family. My favorite quote comes from a victorious Trevor after a soccer scrimmage. “Sometimes life is so good it feels like you’ve got joy running inside your veins instead of blood.”